My Knight in a Red Hood
by Simply Prettyful
Summary: Jason Todd died, leaving me, his best friend, behind. Since he's been gone, I've been rude and disrespectful to Nightwing and the League. But when I get into trouble on the first anniversary of his death, a new hero comes around and saves me. A red hooded hero... Who is this Red Hood? Jason Todd/OC. AU.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Welcome! Welcome, welcome, welcome to my new Young Justice fan fiction. My proper one, too. So... I hope you enjoy it. Oh yeah, this is alternate universe! Please don't yell at me if I got things wrong.

**Bloody Disclaimer for the WHOLE fic:** Young Justice is owned by others. I own my OC and plot only.

* * *

Everywhere you go in life, people have expectations. But it is possible to find that one person who doesn't expect things from you. You just need to look hard enough.

My name is Kyra. Just Kyra. I've never had a surname.

I was a member of a team made up of sidekicks and otherwise related to the Justice League. Officially, we were called the team. Just the team. Unofficially, we had many names depending on who you talk to. Young Justice, Mini League, Junior Justice League, etcetera. You get the idea.

You're wondering what my shtick is now, aren't you? Why was I in the team? Well, I'm umbrakinetic slash lumiokinetic. Same thing, really. Umbrakinetic is control and manipulation of shadows and lumiokinetic is control and manipulation of light.

My best friend, Jason Todd, was normal... Ish. He was on the team, too. Robin II. The first Robin was now called Nightwing. He was barely older than Jason but Jason doesn't care. I'm a year younger than Jason. You might have heard of the amazing Robins that the Batman takes under his wing. Talented and fantastic boys who manage to keep up somehow beside the Batman's scariness. Jason was a big softie at heart and loved to pick on me because I'm British.

Today, Jason and I were roaming Gotham, looking for Christmas presents to give to various people. The sun was out but we still wrapped up warm because it was winter and duh, winter is cold. Very cold. I don't like the cold. Jason and I were skipping through the streets (literally) without a care in the world until he stopped at a jewellery store.

"What could you possibly want from there?" I asked, pursing my lips. and looking at the diamonds and things in the displays

"I don't know... Hey, what do you want for Christmas?" Jason asked and pulled away from the store display.

I smiled. "Nothing you'd want to give me."

"Sex?" Jason asked, raising an eyebrow.

I raised both of mine.

Jason raised his other and raised them higher.

I tried to raise my own higher.

"You look like a loon, Kittycat Kyra," Jason laughed.

"Oh be quiet," I said and tapped his arm. "And I don't want sex for Christmas. It wouldn't be all that bad though. No. I want to find love... Which is why every Christmas disappoints me."

"Ah, mon cherie," Jason tutted, "you know I predict you will find lurve one day."

"Mon petite, shut your mouth," I said, sighing. "It won't happen. My first kiss has even yet to happen!"

"Kyra, don't be in a rush. These things take time with people," Jason said and looked at another window display as we passed more stores.

"Oh yeah? How long did it take you to get your first kiss?" I asked.

"Uh... Well, you see, I'm not exactly a lady's man," Jason sighed.

"You're gay?" I asked, mocking him with a scandalized look.

"What? No!" Jason said before realising I was joking. "Don't be so horrible. What if a gay person saw that?"

I rolled my eyes. "Jason, I insult people regularly by accident. It kind of just... doesn't phase me any more."

"Aye, I know tha'," Jason said, putting on a pirate voice. He spotted another store and took me inside.

When we finished our shopping for the day, Jason took me back to the Wayne manor. I waved hello to Alfred and said a quiet hello to Dick when we passed him on the way to the kitchens. Mr Wayne wasn't in, by the looks of things.

"So, how long do you think it will last?" Jason asked as he chopped some random vegetables for Alfred.

"What will?" I asked, stirring a pot on the stove.

Sometimes, we help Alfred out before we snack.

"All this. Until they find out that I don't want to be Robin any more..." Jason said.

"You don't want to be Robin?" I asked, forgetting to stir.

"Kyra," Jason sighed and put his knife down to stir my pot for me. "If I stay as a Robin, I'm not sure where I'm going. Plus, people aren't exactly grateful to Robins. They are grateful do Batman."

"Jason..." I said softly. I put a hand on his. "If you don't want to be Robin, don't be. Be your own hero... Or whatever you want to be. You aren't evil, are you?"

Jason brought his hand away from mine. "No, not evil. I still like puppies and rainbows."

"And kittycats?" I smiled.

"Especially Kyra Kittycats," Jason smiled.

Jason was nearly eighteen and I was seventeen at this point in time. A smile like that isn't hard to forget. Jason turned back to his chopping and I to stirring my pot, eventually finishing and grabbing some stuff from the refrigerator and escaping to his room.

We put on a movie and Jason did his weird thing where he lay on his bed with his head lolling off it, watching the movie upside down. I sat at the end of the bed and munched on various things from time to time. The movie was a rom com about Christmas. It was funny, too. Gotta love humour.

It was just before Fred Clause gave his girlfriend her Christmas gift from the North Pole that Jason sat up.

"Kittycat?" he whispered.

"Yeah?" I asked, eyes still on the TV.

I should have looked at Jason instead. He was silent for a minute or so before sitting up a little further and... His hand reached across to my shoulder furthest from him, drawing my attention from the movie. He turned me slowly and kissed me. It wasn't a full on make out or anything. Just a gentle first kiss on the lips. His hand caressed my cheek as he pulled away and returned to watching the end of the movie upside down.

He left me in a dazed state. What just happened?

The movie ended and Jason sat up, getting off the bed to change the movie. This time, he didn't watch it upside down. He sat up by his pillows and leaned back against the pillows. I looked at him, raising an eyebrow in surprise. He just patted the spot beside him and looked at the screen. So I moved and leaned against the headboard, pulling my knees up. Jason shook his head and pulled my knees down.

"Kyra, I shouldn't have kissed you," he sighed.

What? ... What? I took a few seconds. It sank in... and tears came to my eyes. I got off the bed and found my coat before marching out of the room, ignoring Jason's calls after me. He drew the attention of Dick, Alfred and a returning Mr Wayne but I didn't look up at him. As soon as I was out of that front door, I bolted, running with tears streaming down my face.

That was the last day I saw Jason Todd. The last day anybody did.


	2. Chapter 1

"Kyra!" Nightwing yelled into my room a year after Jason Todd disappeared.

"Get out," I moaned, my head hurting.

"Get up and I will," Nightwing said, pulling my sheets from my bed. I twisted and hid my face from him. "You look horrible."

"Fuck off," I scowled.

"How much did you drink?" Nightwing asked, softening a little.

I growled. "Get out, Nightwing."

"Answer me, Kyra," he said.

"Fine. Nine glasses of wine, two pints of cider and a bottle of Russian vodka mixed with cola," I moaned. "Can you go now?"

"Get up. We'll sort you out," Nightwing said, not even waiting for me to get out of bed before dragging me out of the room. By the ankle.

I didn't go quietly. I kicked and screamed. "NIGHTWING! LET ME GO! LET ME GO! FRICTION BURN REALLY HURTS! GET OFF! LET ME GO, YOU MISER WHO CAN'T HOLD A DRINK!"

"I think you'll find that I am not the one who is hungover," Nightwing pointed out.

"BUGGER OFF!" I said before he dumped me on the sofa with a few others.

Nightwing tossed me a packet of painkillers and then handed me a glass of water.

"Try not to choke," Nightwing instructed.

"Fuck you," I mumbled as I got the pill out of the packet and took my medicine. Gah. It tasted horrible.

"I know it's the anniversary of the day Jason died but-" Nightwing began, his voice cracking a little.

"Shut up," I said and stormed out of there.

Jason had died. The Bats had taken him and Nightwing out for the night to get rid of the Joker from some warehouse. Jason... Jason was blown up that night. Because of the Joker. I cried myself to sleep for two and a half months afterwards.

I didn't just regret his death. Nightwing might have thought it was all Jason's death but in truth, it was also the day that Jason had kissed me. My first kiss slash best friend had died and I had stormed out without saying so much as a goodbye, ignoring him as he called after me. I never got to say goodbye to Jason.

Once I had dressed and my head stopped hurting, I went back out into the world of the living.

Robin III waved hello but I didn't even look at him. He was Nightwing's sidekick. I didn't care. M'gann smiled sympathetically and offered me a piece of cake. I just insulted her cooking and carried on. Superboy didn't bother. I liked Superboy. He was good at knowing when quiet was good. I walked right past Batman and Nightwing, ignoring Nightwing as he called after me. I flipped him the bird as I found the Zeta tubes and left the cave.

I needed to be alone. So I left for New York. The concrete jungle was my favourite wallowing haunt. Walking through New York can be dangerous. I found that out first hand. Along with some other things.

It was midday and I was wandering around, trying to find some place to just sit in silence. An alleyway probably wasn't my best idea. I sat behind a bin and pulled my knees up under my chin. A hand shot out of nowhere and I yelped as a man dragged me away from the bin and into a building, throwing me inside. He closed the door before I could escape.

"OI! LET ME OUT!" I screamed, banging the door.

"No one will save you, darling girl," a creepy voice came through the darkness. A light was switched on and, to my horror, a whole gang of sweaty, fat and balding men sat, making up an audience. The voice had come from a tall man who wore a gentlemanly suit. His accent was Western... Or was it Southern? It was something. I don't think it actually matters at this point in time.

I put my back against the door and watched his feet as he started to walk over. He took my wrist and flung me across the floor, landing at the feet of the sweaty men who all laughed at me when I got onto my feet again and flinched when the man reached for me. He took the collar of my jacket and smiled down at me.

"You're going to do whatever we wan', darlin'," he smiled, sending chills through me.

Suddenly, I wanted to do as he said, when he said and no matter what he said. It was a strange feeling that washed over me in waves that I imagined as pink like mouthwash. It started from my toes and finger tips and worked up until even my head was filled with the pink. I went limp in his hands and I even smiled a little. Mentally, I was both screaming to do as he says and to run away.

"What's your name, baby girl?" asked the man but he froze before I could say it, which for some reason deeply disappointed me. But I hadn't noticed, even though I was right in front of him, that there had been a gun shot and the man was now bleeding out.

The pink faded fast and the balding audience were separating and scrambling fast. The man dropped to the ground and I blinked, turning to the audience and finding a guy holding a gun.

I never saw his face but I did see his smile. His skin was pale and he wore a red hoodie jacket. His hood covered his face. Hence why I couldn't see it. He surged forward and took my wrist and ran out of the room, through the building and surprising shoppers as we came through a staff entrance and ran through the aisles. The guy ran me out of the store with him and further along until he found an alley. He pushed me up a fire escape and finally allowed me to stop.

"Thanks," I said, my voice a little shaky.

My red hooded hero smiled and leapt off the building, making me go to the edge and look for a splattered body. Instead, I found a guy swinging away on a cord.

-x-x-x-x-

"So... He just swung away?" Nightwing asked when I told him and some of the senior team members what had happened.

"Yeah. He killed the guy who tried to control my mind and then ran me out of the building to safety before swinging away," I said, drawing in a notebook as I spoke. I was drawing him. I'm not good at lifelike pictures but I do good cartoons if I do say so myself.

"I don't get it... What kind of hero kills in order to save?" M'gann asked Nightwing.

"An anti-hero?" I tried.

"Possibly," Nightwing nodded, stroking his chin. He turned away for a moment, putting a hand to the com device in his ear. He nodded and looked at me. "You, Miss Martian and Superboy are needed on a mission. You're going to Chicago. Be careful."

"Fuck off," I said in a sing song voice as I ran off to suit up. My super outfit wasn't that bad. I wore black leggings, a silver, tight fitted tunic with a black cord around my waist, the sheaths for my swords on a belt at my hips. I tied my hair up and put my stylized silver and black domino mask on.

Pulling on my black jacket and my boots, I ran out to meet M'gann and Connor at the bioship. Miss Martian and Superboy had waited long enough, I guess because my belts barely had time to connect before we zoomed off.

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**A/N: Hey folks! I hope you enjoy it! Two reviews and I'll update?**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hey, everyone! I'm so happy that people like this story! ^_^ So here you guys go! I got lots of anon. reviews so here's the update. Also, to that one guy who wants a flashback, I don't think that would make sense to see a flashback of Jason's death seeing as Kyra wasn't there. BUT I think I have a way for it to happen. You'll have to wait for the right plot point though.

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It was near midnight when I went to visit his grave. I always visited Jason alone. This was the one year mark of his death but I had been there many times. To calm down, to talk or even simply listen to the world around me.

I let the dark cling to me like a cloak, still dressed for the mission. I had taken a rose with me. At Jason's funeral slash memorial, I gave him a red rose, letting it stand out amongst the white ones taken. The Bat family glared at me. If looks could kill, I would have been six feet under in a coffin filled to the brim with acid as they allowed me to drown whilst being buried alive. Even in civvies, the Bats gives glares that would murder you thrice times over.

"Hey, Jason," I greeted when I saw the grave. I even waved. I put the rose down and sat in front of the headstone. "I've a lot to talk to you about."

I stopped for a moment, thinking I heard something. When nothing continued to make a noise, I continued to talk to Jason. I told him everything since the last time I saw him.

"Oh, I got into some trouble today, Jason. I'm fine though. Thanks to this guy. I don't know who he was but he was a good shot. You would have wanted to kill him for being better than you," I said and sighed. "For a moment, when I saw his smile... I thought he was you... I... I also wish that he was... I miss you. You may have been annoying and stupid but... I miss my best friend. Things haven't been the same since you left..."

I heard a crunch and stood up. Turning, I found someone. I backed away and morphed into the shadows. Running through shadows, I reached the Zeta tube in Gotham in no time and went back to the cave. Honestly, I wasn't sure what had been there in the graveyard. I didn't say bye to Jason, but then, I never did.

As soon as I came back, I found myself faced with Robin.

"What do you want?" I scowled and marched past him.

"Actually, it's more like what do you want?" Robin said and started to follow me.

"I want to be left alone," I scowled. I ducked before Robin's bloody bow staff hit my head. I turned and frowned at the grinning Robin. "Well, aren't you just a fun little lollipop triple dipped in psycho. Get lost, Robin, before I turn your guts into haggis."

Robin didn't look phased.

I walked away, annoyed already. Nightwing waved as I entered the kitchen area. Making a bowl of cereal, I found myself being further annoyed.

"How was visiting Jason?" Nightwing asked.

"Bugger off," I said and took my cereal away.

Tucked away in my room, I put the cereal on the side and curled up on the bed. I stayed that way for a few minutes before letting my tears roll down my cheeks and my breathing become ragged. I rubbed my cheek to get rid of the tears.

"Make my way back home when I learn to fly," I sang softly. I had forgotten the name of it but it was from Jason's favourite song.

-x-x-x-x-

"Morning," I chirped to M'gann.

The Martian did a double take. I didn't blame her. That morning, I had woken up feeling the best I had for a long time. It was strange, seeing the world like I had before Jason's death for once. I wasn't over his death. No way. I was just getting used to not having him around.

This time last year, I was a sobbing mess against Nightwing's chest. A week after that, I began to be horrible to everyone I saw.

"Morning," M'gann replied as I helped myself to some of the bacon she had been cooking and put it in between two slices of buttered bread. She exchanged a look with Superboy as I went to sit by the TV.

Nightwing was sat there, watching the news. He looked at me with a playful smile. "Someone's in a good mood."

"Shut it," I said and kicked him.

I finished my sandwich whilst we watched cartoons. When I finished, I nearly choked because Nightwing changed the channel to the news where, instead of seeing something about the League, Superman or Batman... There was my red hooded hero on the screen. He was running from cops.

Nightwing patted me hard on the back. "Are you OK?"

"That's him!" I said, pointing at the screen. "That's the guy who saved me from being hypnotized into rape or whatever!"

"Says he shot three people," Nightwing said, listening to the news report. "But he saved a room full of hostages from a bank robbery in Keystone. I'm surprised the Flash isn't there."

"He was," came a voice and we looked up to the entrance. Kid Flash stood there, a nasty gash bleeding down his face.

Nightwing and M'gann rushed to him. The Martian fretted about his gash and Nightwing began to ask questions.

"Where'd the wound come from?" I asked, yelling above the two.

"He's got guns. Nearly got me. He apologised for it, oddly," KF said and sat next to me on the sofa. "You OK, Missy?"

I nodded and even smiled a little. The thing that made me respect Kid Flash was how he dealt with life. With his abilities, he understood and didn't try to change the fact that he could never be as fast as the Flash. I admired and respected Kid Flash. Other than that, he was a close friend of Jason's. One of the last things I had left of Jason.

"I went to the grave yesterday," I said quietly. "Didn't stay long. Thought I heard footsteps. I ran before I could be seen."

"Creepy," Kid Flash nodded. He changed the subject. "Nightwing told me about the red hooded guy who saved you."

"He did?" I scowled.

"Any ideas of who he is?" Kid Flash asked.

"No. I only know that Jason would pout for a week if he saw how much better a shot this red hood guy is than him," I said and Kid Flash nodded.

-x-x-x-x-

"Darquess," Nightwing asked via com a few days after the news report. He was calling me.

"I'm here," I whispered.

"Miss Martian is in range. She'll connect you to the mind link," Nightwing said.

I winced as Miss Martian did just that. _Damn, I hate that feeling..._ I thought.

_Some of us don't know what you mean by that,_ Superboy thought back.

I rolled my eyes. I kept an eye on the shadows around me. _So, Nightwing, what exactly are we doing?_

_You're keeping an eye on the dark for us. Superboy and Miss Martian are infiltrating from the air, Lagoon Boy and Blue Beetle will be going in through the sewers whilst Robin and I take the ground assault. Darquess will join us when one team has gotten inside,_ Nightwing thought. _Any further questions?_

We all thought our confirmations. It was only a training exercise set up by the league. We had to get into a Wayne Industry building and capture a flag. Simple enough, right? Wrong. The building is heavily armed and can be very dangerous.

The team began their assault on the building and I huffed, watching from the shadows of a building opposite.

"Why aren't you down there?" came a familiar voice.

"Jason?" I asked, confused. I turned and found the red hooded hero.

The guy who stood before me was a head taller than me. He had the red hoodie in his hand and threw it aside. He wore a mask over his entire head. Two way fabric, it seems, covered a part where his eyes would poke out. He wore an ordinary jacket, jeans, combat boots... Then there were the guns in holsters at his hips alongside a few knives.

"Red Hood, actually," said the guy. "You haven't answered my question, Darquess."

"Uh... The plan," I said. _Nightwing! Red Hood! He's here._

_Stand by, Darquess. I'll com Kid Flash,_ Nightwing replied.

"Training?" Red Hood asked, leaning against a wall. I nodded and he changed the subject. "Who is Jason?"

"None of your business," I scowled.

"Actually, you are my business and if you thought I was someone else, I'd like to know," Red Hood said.

"You sound... Just like my friend who died last year," I told him. "Jason. He died... Murdered..."

"Shame," Red Hood said. "It obviously effects you."

A zoom of red and yellow went past my vision, making a gust of air blast things follow. Kid Flash glared at Red Hood.

"Ah, Kid Flash. Sorry about the gash," Red Hood said. He waved at me. "Tatty bye, Kittycat."

I gasped as he jumped out of the window.

"What just happened?" Kid Flash asked me.

"I... He called me Kittycat, KF," I frowned. "Think."

It took him a few minutes before his jaw dropped. "You think that was Jason? Darquess, he's dead."

"Who else calls me Kittycat?" I pointed out.

"Point taken," Kid Flash nodded. "So what now?"

"Batman, Nightwing, Bat Girl and Robin aren't the only ones with detective skills, Kid Flash," I said and looked at the window where Red Hood disappeared. "I think it's my turn to play."


	4. Chapter 3

Someone was nudging me. I moaned and kicked at them.

"Kyra, wake up," sighed a voice and I opened my eyes. I expected Jason… I didn't get Jason. I got Nightwing.

"What?" I groaned.

"Kyra, what was the time last you saw?" he asked.

"Seven pm," I tried.

"Lies," Nightwing scolded.

"Fine. Seven am," I sighed. I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

I was surrounded by papers in my room. It had been two weeks since the training incident. My walls were covered in news reports. Pieces of different coloured string showed the erratic path of Red Hood on a map. My laptop was on the screensaver in front of me. I moved the mouse and rubbed my eye. It was nine am. Breakfast was an hour ago.

"You missed an alert with your name on it," Nightwing said. "But it's already been handled by now."

"Fuck…" I mumbled.

"You're obsessed," Nightwing said, looking around my room.

"Yeah," I nodded. "But it keeps me close on his tail. Each news report. I can figure out where he's going if I keep it up long enough. Come on, Nightwing. You and the Bats aren't the only ones who can use deducing skills."

"Look. Batman already has some stuff on him. All this that you are doing… We already picked up a pattern, Kyra," Nightwing said and left the room.

I frowned and kicked my bed. "Damn it, Nightwing."

-x-x-x-x-

"Please?" I asked over dinner.

"No," Nightwing replied for the millionth time. "And for the next hundred times you ask me, no, no, no. Got it?"

"No," I smirked.

"You are impossible," Nightwing sighed

I stood up and took my plate to the sink, having finished my food ages ago. I poked my tongue out at Nightwing before leaving for my room. I didn't get far before an alert rang, my name being called alongside Wonder Girl and Batgirl.

Sighing, I changed quickly and ran to be debriefed.

"You're going to a place called Small City," Nightwing told us once we were all assembled. The other squad were there, taking notes. M'gann, Superboy and Artemis. The others simply watched. Nightwing continued. "Alpha squad, you will be taking uptown. Beta, downtown. We have reason to believe that the Joker has been setting off laughing gas bombs. Proceed with caution."

Wonder Girl and Batgirl whispered, much to my annoyance, and then began to giggle.

"Uh, Nightwing? Why is the Joker in Small City?" I asked.

"We have only one reason. Harley Quinn," Nightwing said, pulling up Harley's file. "She was being transferred this evening to Small City prison."

"Just great…" I say dryly.

Once deployed, it took half an hour to get to Small City. The name fit it well. Small City was by far the smallest city I had ever seen. It had one skyscraper. One. It had just about enough buildings to be called a city though. The population count wasn't on the sign but there were two hospitals. One uptown and one downtown.

I was beta squad so downtown I was dropped.

Batgirl was in charge. "Wonder Girl, you take south. Darquess? East. I got West. If we find anything, use the com. Do not engage."

"Gotcha," I said before running off into the shadows. _She must think I'm five. Then again, I don't really get why she and Wonder Girl are so buddy buddy._

Small City may have been tiny but it still had a decent amount of noise. I barely heard the com go off.

"This is Wonder Girl. Batgirl, I think I found something," Wonder Girl's tinny voice said.

I put a hand to my ear and pressed the com button. "You know, I'm here too," I said.

"Trust me. You aren't needed here," Wonder Girl said and grunted.

"Are you throwing something?" Batgirl asked.

"Yes," Wonder Girl yelled, making me cringe.

"I'll be right there. Darquess, carry on," Batgirl said. "Out."

I rolled my eyes and started moving again. Warehouses were in my quadrant. I thought I'd take a look. The Joker had a thing for them, didn't he? Didn't all the villains and scum bags of Gotham have a strange and inexplicable affinity for warehouses?

First warehouse was clean. Second, nada. Third, zilch. Fourth… Bingo. There he was. Mr Big Bad Clown-face and his goons. Harley Quinn was brushing her hair and talking. The Joker looked annoyed. But he was quiet and listened to what the girl said. I couldn't hear through the glass.

Which brings me to another question. Do Gotham baddies also fear looking up when inside their beloved warehouses?

I pressed the button on my com. "Batgirl? Wonder Girl? I found him. Warehouses in my quadrant. Zero-four," I whispered.

"You found him?" Batgirl asked. She sounded confused. "If he's there… Then who are we fighting?"

"Batgirl!" a voice yelled on her side of the com.

Interference rang through the com and I nearly yelled in pain. I clutched my ear and stepped backwards and tried to catch hold of the window. Except, when I leaned against the window, I made a thump noise which brought the bad guys to look up and then there were the bullets shooting up at me. I fell through the glass, screaming as I hurtled to the ground. I hit it and hard.

"Lookie here, Hun," laughed the Joker. "We got us a wittle girly to play with."

I rubbed my head and looked up at the clowns. I pressed the button on my com, hoping they could hear this.

"What's your name, Princess?" Harley hissed, coming forward with her hairbrush held delicately in her hands.

"Darquess," I growled.

"Oh, we've heard about you," cackled the girl. "You were that Boy Blunder's friend. The one Joker darlin' murdered last year."

I bit my lip and avoided looking at anything in particular.

"We're coming," Batgirl whispered into the com.

The Joker laughed. "I remember it like it was yesterday. I even got it taped. Bozo, tie her up."

A pair of huge hands grabbed me and set me onto a chair, binds tying me up fast. I struggled but I barely even moved. My hands weren't only tied up… they were handcuffed.

"What if she don't watch, sugar?" Harley asked the Joker, her arms snaking around him.

"We'll make her watch," grinned the Joker. He stepped toward me, enjoying my flinch. He reached forward and grinned. He lifted my eyelids and taped them back. I cried out, of course. He stepped aside so Harley could clap in delight at his handywork.

I looked at the top of the warehouse and noticed a shadow. Batgirl looked down and nodded at me. She looked away and took a fighting stance. What was going on up there?

"Come on, Darky," laughed the Joker and turned on a screen one of his goons brought to him. "Let's watch Boy Blunder II's demise in glorious HD on this rather lovely plasma screen I picked up on the way here."

The clowns laughed.

I had no choice. Goons kept my face looking at the screen. I watched as Jason was beaten by a crowbar, subjected to the Joker's humour. I struggled, my eyes hurting and tears not working properly.

"No! No!" I screamed. "No, please! ROBIN! NO!"

The Joker laughed. He just let it play.

In the video, Jason stopped for a moment. The Joker leaned to hear what he said. Jason spat on his face with blood. Even then, he grinned through the pain at the Joker. It tore my heart in two. Then used C4 or dynamite to make it explode into an irreparable mess of squishy, red stuff.

"The first Boy Blunder had some manners," said the Joker in the video. "Maybe I'll have to teach you a lesson so you can follow in his footsteps."

I swallowed hard. "Please… Please stop…" I begged quietly.

The Joker kept swinging the crowbar until he decided that was enough. He made a joke about Jason behaving, doing his homework and being in bed on time. I watched as Jason waited for a moment to get up… He moved toward the door. He failed to open it. Then he turned and found a bomb. He closed his eyes and…

The feed switched to another source outside. I watched as the warehouse exploded.

I screamed, shadows convulsing all around me and my eyes snapping the restraints on them. I kicked and screamed, knocking my chair over and hitting the ground. I cried for a good while as the clowns and the goons laughed at me. I looked up, sobbing. Batgirl was appeared just then to look down at me. Her eyes were wide and she shook her head, mouth open wide.

"No!" I screamed, kicking and trying to get rid of the chair.

I felt the sting of pain on my ribs and yelled out. Looking up, I found the Joker with a crowbar.

"Why don't you join him? Huh? I'll send you to your death!" the Joker cackled and struck again.

He rained pain down upon me and I was helpless against it. I sobbed and cried, wishing more than ever that Jason were there to save me.

There was a blast of warmth and I realised I wasn't getting hurt anymore. I looked around for the Joker but found only flames. I saw shadows. Batgirl had finally gotten through the glass? The Joker was thrown nearby and I looked up to find a man walking toward me. I tried to shuffle away. He had a red mask on. He had a gun in his hand. Putting that away, he moved and picked the chair up. The handcuffs and binds were gone and he picked me up, running out of the warehouse.

I saw the underside of his chin before blacking out.


	5. Chapter 4

I sat up and looked around. Hospital? Why was I in a hospital? Oh no. It wasn't. It was a medical room. I was in the medical bay of the mountain. I rubbed my hair and got off the bed. I had a weird taste in my mouth. I moved and got off the bed. I scratched my arm and started walking. Oddly, barely anyone was around. I checked the rooms, the kitchen and the training rooms. No one. The bio-ship was gone so I guessed they were on a mission.

I didn't have to wait long before they came back. They were carrying two stretchers. No… They were carrying three. One unconscious, one murmuring deliriously and one just staring ahead.

"Hey. Need some help?" I asked Nightwing but he ignored me and went on. I watched as the stretchers went by. One of them looked at me. He winked. I frowned. He seemed to be the only one who paid me any mind.

"What's his name?" Batgirl asked Miss Martian as they wheeled the one who winked at me away.

"Apparently, his name is Karlisle," Miss Martian told her. "He took a hard hit to the head when he attempted to save Red Hood."

"I saw. He has the same powers as Kyra," Batgirl said.

"Kyra?" asked Karlisle. "Where is she? Where is my sister?"

"Sister? Dude, I am not your sister," I said, frowning.

"Sister?" Nightwing asked, carrying Red Hood. "Kyra is your sister?"

"Where is she?" Karlisle demanded. "She needs to go… to come home… Please…"

He was delirious…

No one looked at me. I followed them to the Med-Bay.

I stopped at the doorway, my eyes wide. I was scared at that moment because…

I was on a bed, unconscious with a tube in my mouth, helping me to breathe. I was hooked up to a machine and my pulse was weak and barely stable.

I was dying?

-x-x-x-x-

I didn't need to sleep. I didn't need to eat. I didn't need to drink. I was alone in the Med-Bay with three guys. One who could see me but blathered on about coconuts and whatnot. One unconscious but rather familiar guy. One Red Hood who had remained hooded because apparently, it is impolite to unmask someone, no matter what they have done.

I sat above Red Hood and stared down at him. It was the middle of the night and no one was awake. Not a soul. No one could even hear me… I stroked the cheek of Red Hood's mask and wondered if I could move it… I just wanted a peek…

"He won't wake, you know," said a voice and I turned to Karlisle. He was sitting on a sphere of shadows. "Not whilst I'm here."

"You can see me?" I asked.

"Of course, you're my twin," the boy smiled. "I've been hunting for you."

"Hunting for me?" I asked.

"Yes. See, our parents are dead," he replied. "I needed to tell you."

"So… Where are you from?" I asked.

"London," Karlisle said. "Just the same as you."

"You knew our parents?" I asked cautiously.

"They kept me," he said, smirking.

I scowled. "Get out of here."

"I don't think so," smiled Karlisle. "You see… They're trying to keep us apart."

"Who are?"

"Everyone."

I stared for a moment before running. I hopped and jumped and ran until I hit the zeta-tubes. When they wouldn't read me, I tried the rooms. M'gann didn't wake when I tried. It took me a moment to realise then… I couldn't do anything. I was helpless and alone and nearly dead.

I wandered to the sofas and sat down, holding my head down and covering my face with my knees.

"You'll wake up in due course. But I still need to kill them all," Karlisle said, sitting beside me. "You know, mother and father apologised so much before I took to them with my powers. It was almost pathetic."

"You have the same abilities as I do?" I asked, looking up at him with a glare.

"Damn straight," smiled the boy. "Umbramancy is a hard type of magic to master."

"Umbramancy?" I frowned. "I thought I was just umbrakinetic…"

I didn't mention the lumiokinesis. If I had something up from him, I wanted to keep it a secret.

"Umbrakinesis?" Karlisle asked.

"Yeah, see, I learned that anything ended with 'mancy' is a form of divination," I said.

"Divination?" frowned Karlisle.

"Yes. Also known as lot, mantology and sortilege," I said. Don't look so surprised. I'm a smart cookie. "It's the foretelling of the future; locating hidden things using supernatural power. Cultures all over the world have their own versions, with various methods used by their own medicine men, shaman, witch doctor or just plain charlatans. Some of the forms of divination and the objects on which the forecasts are made include- and these are just some off the top of my head- uh, chaomancy, necromancy, sciomancy, sternomancy and cryptomancy. That's aerial apparitions, the dead, ghosts, breast and secret methods."

Karlisle just looked at me in wonder. "How do you know all that?"

"When you search for answers, you look at a lot of things," I said. "In the end, I gave up and just put it down to a sort of telekinesis. Umbrakinesis."

Karlisle nodded and looked into the distance. "All the answers will be clear… Once they have died."

"Not if I can help it," I say.

"You can't," Karlisle laughed and vanished into the shadows.

-x-x-x-x-

"I have a crazy twin brother who wants to kill everyone I care about or associate with…" I whispered to Red Hood. "If you could hear me, which would be awesome about now… I just need to know… If you are Jason…"

I sighed and moved a finger around his mask. I moved it further down, along his neck. I licked my lips and hooked my finger along the edge of his mask. Closing my eyes, I moved it. I didn't get the chance, though.

Nightwing walked in, talking to Robin.

"You can't be considering this," Robin frowned.

"She's dying, Robin," Nightwing said, raising an eyebrow. "She's only fighting enough to be barely stable."

"What gives you the authority to switch the support off?" Robin demanded.

Thanks, kid.

At this moment, Red Hood woke up and tried to put Nightwing in a headlock. He didn't manage but he did grab Robin and held a small gun to the boy's head.

"Where is he? Where is Karlisle?" Red Hood demanded.

"He vanished last night," Nightwing said calmly. "Calm down, Red Hood."

Red Hood withdrew the gun and pushed Robin to Nightwing. "He's after Kyra. He said something about- about the Joker's torture and- and killing everyone in his way. Dick, he's after Kyra for some reason."

Nightwing didn't move. Neither did Robin. Red Hood turned and looked at my body. He moved closer and stroked my bodily cheek gently. I put my disembodied hand up to my disembodied cheek.

"Don't let her die… She's… She's too innocent to die…" Red Hood said. His shoulders were shaking and he didn't give us a good, unbroken sentence.

"Is he crying?" Robin asked Nightwing.

"It's something a broken man does, Robin…" Nightwing sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "A broken man…"


	6. Chapter 5

They had gone on another mission. Red Hood insisted on tagging along and bargaining with Nightwing to bring two friends to the mountain. So he did. One, I recognised on sight. His name was Speedy. He had been Green Arrow's sidekick. The thing is… The Speedy I knew quit, becoming Red Arrow. This one was the one that Red Arrow had been cloned from. This Speedy had a prosthetic arm. He went by Arsenal now. The other that Red Hood brought along was a girl. She was orange. I really mean that, too. She had orange skin and lime green eyes. They called her Starfire.

They liked to sit down every now and again just to talk. It was strange. They only referred to each other with their codenames.

The pair blended in rather well. Starfire and Miss Martian had a good friendship going because apparently Starfire was an alien too… I'm not surprised. I mean, the only thing that could have skin as orange is that is a douchebag from Jersey Shore or The Only Way Is Essex or Made in Chelsea. Something along those lines. Get it?

I stayed unconscious and under constant guard from Red Hood. I heard Nightwing call him a broken man. I didn't get it.

When I finally woke up, I was dazed and confused; the red helmet he wore scared me and made me scream. That, in turn, made him leave.

I wouldn't eat or sleep or talk for a few weeks. I started getting better but the nightmares stayed. I dreamt of our of body experiences, a brother I wasn't able to stop, and, the worst yet, the death of my best friend. Everything around me scared me. It took me weeks to get back into missions and only because I wanted to find Red Hood again.

I was silent. In a way, that made me a better hunter. I found what we were looking for without much fuss and without tipping off the bad guys.

But I was broken. I barely spoke for months. Christmas came and went. Valentine's Day passed. Fourth of July- which, being British, I didn't really celebrate but enjoyed it with my friends usually- went by without my even noticing it. Pretty soon, it was nearing Halloween and I was scared about the second anniversary of Jason's death.

Red Hood was an answer. I just knew it. An answer who didn't want to be found out. But I tried anyway.

-x-x-x-x-

"Darquess?" Nightwing asked me as I stared at the goons.

"Joker," I said. It was only two syllables. I backed away and shook my head. "No."

Nightwing nodded. "Get back to the bio-ship. We'll call when we need you to come pick us up."

I nodded and melted into the shadows. I came out inside the ship and rubbed my eyes as I sat in the pilot seat.

"You've been looking for me," came a voice and I looked up.

"Outcasts," I said, my eyes widening.

"Yes," Red Hood said as he and his friends circled me. "Kyra, you need to stop looking. I'm not the boy you're looking for."

I shook my head and looked at him and at his eyes. "Diff'rent…"

"Sounds like she can't say more than two syllables at a time," Arsenal said. "Possibly due to a post-traumatic stress symptom."

I looked away. "Jason," I whispered and rubbed my wrists.

"Jason," Red Hood repeated. "Look, Kyra, Jason is dead. He isn't coming back."

I looked at him again. "Kitty."

"Kitty?" Arsenal said.

"Kitty… Kittycat," Red Hood said, sounding surprised. "You remember that? I was just flirting."

"Jason," I growled, getting to my feet and balls of shadows dancing around my hands.

"I'm not-" Red Hood said, backing up. He stopped, seeing the tears welling in my eyes as I glared angrily at him. "I'm not him. Not.."

"No more," I finished. The balls of shadow dissipated and my knees buckled. I fell to the floor, holding my arms t my chest and sobbing quietly. "No… Jason…No more… Red Hood…"

"How does she know?" Arsenal asked quietly.

"Best friends," I said.

"Don't forget," Red Hood sighed. He came forward and lifted my chin. He reached up and removed the helmet, letting me gasp at the sight of his head. He had kept on dying his red hair black. He still wore a domino mask.

"Jason," I gasped.

"Hey, Kyra Kittycat," Jason said, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"Changed," I said, reaching up and stroking a grey streak in his hair.

"People do, Kyra," Jason said. He looked at his friends and sighed. He put his helmet back on. "Come on. The Joker distraction should have taken its toll by now. Star? Fly us out of here."

He left me there, crying on the bio-ship floor. The team returned and found me there. I was back to not even speaking again. Not from fear, this time, but from shock. I didn't tell them what happened. They drew their own conclusions, sometimes duking it out to see whose theory was most sound. I couldn't sleep. Not alone. I often just fell asleep in front of the TV.

-x-x-x-x-

The second anniversary of Jason's death came by and I had gone into monosyllabic words. I sometimes ventured into two or three syllables. I even formed short sentences. Really short sentences.

I went alone to the grave again, this time, carrying not only a rose but a gun, too. I knew Jason was out there and alive… But until I had something tangible to hold onto, I was not acting out of the ordinary.

"Hey, Jason," I grinned when I got there. I placed the rose down and loaded the gun. "Visiting."

I sat back against the grave and sighed. I closed my eyes and listened. Everything was silent. I breathed in and breathed out. In… Out…

"Jason. Out," I whispered.

"Hey, Kyra," Jason sighed, stepping out of the shadows. He wore a domino mask. He came and sat beside me, leaning against the headstone. "Nice night, don't you think?"

"Why here?" I asked.

"I was worried about you, Kyra…"

"Don't," I said.

"You can barely say more than three syllables!" Jason said. He looked at me. "What's wrong?"

"You left," I murmured.

"I had to! I died, Kyra," Jason tried.

"You left," I said again.

Jason sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Look… Kyra, I'm sorry. I…"

I closed my eyes. "The last… day you… even saw… me…"

Jason looked at me. "Yes?" he asked cautiously.

"You kissed me…" I said and looked away from him.

Jason was silent. "I didn't mean what I said… I mean, shouldn't have kissed you… I meant it in another way…"

"Another way?" I asked.

"Kyra, I said it because… Because I liked you and I finally kissed you and… I wanted more…" Jason said after a short silence.

When I didn't say anything more, Jason left and I went home.


	7. Chapter 6

"How is she?" Batgirl asked as I walked by.

I stopped, hearing Wonder Girl saying that she didn't care. I spun on my heel and glared at her.

"Wonder Girl," I growled.

"What? You're going to spit out another three syllabic sentence at me?" Wonder Girl challenged.

"Fuck off," I said and threw a ball of shadow at her.

She moved out of the way with ease. She laughed. "Did the trauma affect your aim?"

I threw another and another and another until I ran out of breath. I closed my eyes and sighed whilst Wonder Girl cackled. We had drawn an audience. Nightwing was standing there with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow. Did he think I could do better? My blood was boiling and the heat was rising. I yelled out as I threw a final ball of shadow at Wonder Girl.

I wasn't aiming for her this time but it hit her. I grabbed her by the foot and spun before letting go, letting her soar into a wall. I appeared there in a shadow and caught her, catching her head and holding it to the wall.

"Tell me, you little bitch," I hissed in her ear. "When are you going to stop looking down on nearly everybody else?"

I slammed her head against the wall and kicked her shins, making her fall to the ground.

"One day," I growled, "it will piss of everybody else to the extent and degree that you'll have no one left. So, Wonder Girl, shut your mouth when it comes to me or I will, and I mean this, I will hurt you from the inside out. I'll make sure you feel every ounce of pain I have over the past two years. Jason's death? It isn't even half of one side of the coin. Go back to your hell hole and join in the rotting."

My little rant left everyone speechless as I left. Nightwing followed.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"Bugger off," I growled.

"Kyra," he warned.

"Nightwing, if you don't want me to harm you, get lost," I replied.

"Kyra, you left her with a bloody nose," Nightwing said. "What happened at the grave?"

"Red Hood," I said. "I know you probably already knew he was Jason. He said… He said…"

I stopped. Getting into my room, I flopped on the bed.

"He said what?" Nightwing prompted.

I sighed. "The last day I saw Jason… He kissed me and… and he said… He said that he shouldn't have done it… I took it the wrong way and left. You remember that part. You were there…"

"Yeah…" Nightwing nodded. He looked a little shocked.

"So… today… Today, he told me that he didn't regret it… He only wanted more… And he liked me and…" I sighed.

"Kyra," Nightwing sighed. "Well… At least you're talking normally again, right?"

"It was her fault and my gain, I guess," I said.

"Kyra? You know that… Jason's life status… It has to remain-" Nightwing started but was cut off by a voice calling him to the zeta-tubes.

-x-x-x-x-

"Who could have done this?" Starfire asked Batman as Nightwing and I entered.

I whimpered at the sight of Red Hood all battered and bloody. We hadn't spoken that long ago…

"Karlisle," I whispered and tried to run forward. I was stopped by Nightwing. I protested a lot. "Nightwing! Let me go! Let me go! I have to see him! Nightwing!"

Arsenal and Starfire looked at me with curiosity.

"Let her," Red Hood coughed and Nightwing let me go, watching as I tumbled face first to the floor.

Haphazardly, I got to my feet and flung myself toward him. I grabbed his hand.

"Was it him? Was it Karlisle?" I asked him. "Because if it was… I swear, I will kill him before he has the chance to kill anyone."

"No, Kyra, you can't," Nightwing said. "Think about what you're doing."

"I am thinking. I'm thinking too many cuss words to think curly," I told him.

Red Hood shook his head at me. "He's… He's right," Jason told me.

I closed my eyes and backed away from him, from everyone. Until I hit the wall. "Fine… Nightwing? Batman? I resign my position on the team."

I disappeared into the shadows.

-x-x-x-x-

At first, I didn't know where to go. I just went from city to city, state to state and eventually, I decided to go country to country. Fun. I went from the US to Canada and back to the US to visit Mexico and onward. I went back to the US, once again, and managed to get myself a job on board a cruise ship.

I quit just as I got back to my good old UK. London hadn't changed a bit. Somehow, I was thankful of that. I stayed in empty houses, moving through them like a shadow. I managed to get a job, find a few guys to do some bad things with and even start some sort of life.

It was all a trick, though. It was all to lure in Karlisle. If he wanted to kill people I cared about, he would need to get to me first… And kill the guy I said I'd marry. I wasn't going to. I even managed to cheat on him. (I hate to do it. But I'm not in love with either… Besides, I keep telling them I'm saving myself for my wedding night. Should be one hell of a party.)

My only problem turned out to be the guy I really did love showing up on my doorstep on the day of my hen party. (This had a bunch of friends I really hated because they're the meanest and stupidest people I have ever met involved.)

Honestly, you'd swear the guy wants to die.

I had been in London for six months, engaged for two of them. I told my fiancé that I wanted to get married as soon as possible. He agreed. I thought he was gay or something. When Jason turned up at my doorstep, no bag, not even a gun, I just stood there in shock.


End file.
